African Wild Dog

True Wild Life | African Wild Dog | The African wild dog (also known as the painted dog and the Cape hunting dog) is a large species of canine found across sub-Saharan Africa. The African wild dog is most easily identified from other dogs by their brightly mottled fur.

African wild dogs are found naturally roaming the deserts, open-plains and arid savannas of southern Africa were the range of the African wild dog has decreased rapidly. It is thought that the African wild dog was once found in nearly 40 different African countries but that number is much lower today, at between 10 and 25.

The African wild dog is a large sized dog compared to other canine species, and it's mottled fur makes the African wild dog an easily identifiable species. The fur of the African wild dog not only looks pretty but the pattern is unique to each individual, and helps the African wild dog to blend into it's surroundings.

African wild dogs are sociable animals that gather in packs of generally between 10 and 30 African wild dog individuals. African wild dogs congregate together to hunt and it is thought that African wild dog packs were often much larger before the species became so endangered in the wild.

The African wild dog is a carnivorous and opportunistic predator, hunting larger animals on the African plains in their groups. African wild dogs primarily prey on larger mammals such as warthogs and numerous antelope species and also supplement their diet with rodents and insects.

Due to the relatively large size and dominant nature of the African wild dog, the African wild dog has few natural predators within it's native habitat. Lions and hyenas have been known to prey on African wild dog individuals that have been separated from the pack, along with human hunters and poachers.

In  African wild dog packs, there is usually only one breeding pair, which are the dominant male and female African wild dogs. After a gestation period of around 70 days, the female African wild dog gives birth to between 2 and 20 African wild dog cubs. The African wild dog cubs are fed and cared for by the entire pack until they are old enough to become independent and leave to join another African wild dog pack.

Today, the African wild dog is an endangered species as African wild dog population numbers have been rapidly declining. Habitat loss caused by deforestation and the spread of disease by livestock are two of the main causes for African wild dog loss.

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African Penguin

True Wild Life | African Penguin | The African penguin is a small to medium sized penguin species that is found along the coast of South Africa and on a number of it's surrounding islands. The African penguin is thought to be most closely related to the Humboldt penguin and the Magellanic Penguins found in southern South America and the Galapagos penguin found in the Pacific Ocean near the equator. The African penguin was named for the fact that it is the only species of penguin that is found breeding on the African Coast. The African penguin is found on the south-western coast of Africa, living in colonies on 24 islands between Namibia and Algoa Bay, near Port Elizabeth, South Africa, with the largest colony on Dyer Island, near Kleinbaai.

The African penguin is a fairly distinctive species of penguin with clean black and white markings and a sharply pointed black beak. The African penguin also has black feet and a number of dot-like markings flecked across it's white chest which are said to be as unique to the individual penguin as a human finger print is.

The male African penguin is generally slightly larger than their female counterparts but both are fairly similar in appearance. One of the African penguin's most distinctive features is that they have pink glands above their eyes. The hotter the African penguin gets, the more blood is sent to these glands so it may be cooled by the surrounding air, which in turn, makes these glands more pink.

The African penguin is a carnivorous animal, that like all other penguin species, survives on a diet that is only comprised of marine animals. Krill and small crustaceans make up the bulk of the African penguin's diet along with larger organisms including squid and various species of fish.

Because of the African Penguin has smaller size, it has many predators both in the water and also on when they are on dry land. On land, the African penguins must keep a keen eye out for crabs, snakes, owls, and hawks, while in the water they must avoid sharks, fur seals, and sea lions along with killer whales and the odd shark. The African penguin has also been severely affected by human activity in their native region.

On average, the African penguin breeds once a year, forming pairs that usually remain faithful to one another. The female African penguin lays two eggs which are incubated by both parents for up to 40 days, when only one of the eggs will usually hatch. The African penguin chicks are fed and kept warm by their parents and remain with them until the chicks are nearly a year old.

Today, the African penguin is considered to be a vulnerable animal that was hunted to near extinction at the beginning of the 20th century by humans, and their eggs were also harvested on mass meaning that there were very low rates of reproduction. The species is now protected in specific areas.

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